November 1, 2009

Affirmation: I am relaxed and open to the world around me


Yesterday was Halloween and I had the most fabulous time. I have always loved the holiday but it is particularly special when you have small children. My 4 year old son is a pro at trick-or-treating, but my 23 month old daughter was new to the experience. Needless to say, after someone put candy in her bucket for the first time she was a pro. She expertly went to each location, thrilled to have candy repeatedly being dropped in her bucket. It’s kind of funny because you normally tell your children not to approach strangers and certainly not to take candy from them. Unless of course it is Halloween and they are dressed like a witch or a goblin. Then it’s ok.

As I watched my children tonight I realized how innocent they are. They are in awe of the world and open to new experiences. They are yet to be jaded. A certain amount of caution in the world is of course necessary as we grow older. We must learn to be wary of certain people and situations. However, I think many adults go too far and build large fences around themselves in order not to get hurt. And all of us have moments where we are just a bit too uptight. For instance, my daughter wore a beautiful costume last night – a St. Bernard with beautiful tan and white fur. As we were walking to our car to go trick-or-treating I told her, “Don’t get dirty before we go!” I wanted her to stay clean and look adorable. But being dirty is part of the fun, and isn’t a dog usually dirty anyway? My vision of what she should look like was quelling her fun and in this instance it wasn’t worth it. Her feet ended up dirty but her face was shining brightly. Did I really think she wouldn’t look adorable with a little dirt?

Whether we have a large fence around us or just a small one, we should take some time to look over the fence and make sure we are not missing out on something fabulous. Fences keep us safe but they also keep us locked in. There are times when we need to venture out of our comfort zones and go with the flow. We need to not worry about the dirt, or the spilled milk or the extra pieces of candy our children sneak from their Halloween buckets. Life is all about balance. We must keep some things in order and let some things go. I am learning that life is a beautiful experience, even if it is a little messy sometimes. The mess is part of the beauty. What can you let go of today?

Writing Update:

I received a couple of the books from the library that I was waiting for. One is about writing query letters to editors and the other is about writing and publishing creative nonfiction. I am still waiting for the Writer’s Market, which lists all the various publishers and editors. While I wait for that book I am diving into the other books so that I have a good grasp of what I need to do to get ahead.